Display and shipping container for flowers

ABSTRACT

A display and shipping container for flowers having a body integrally formed of a relatively rigid sheet material. The top wall, bottom wall, and side walls are hingedly attached to the rear wall which is shaped in the form of an inverted trapezoid. The front wall is hingedly connected to the front edge of said bottom wall and is also in the shape of an inverted trapezoid but one whose height is substantially less than that of said rear wall to thereby form an open window in the front of said container. Spaced upwardly from the bottom of said rear wall, a flap is formed by an incision therein completely through the thickness of the rear wall with the flap being hinged at its bottom to allow it to be folded rearwardly to function as a stand or brace. The flap also provides access means for watering flowers already packaged in said container and additionally the flap may be folded forwardly to aid in fixedly positioning said flowers within said container.

United States Patent [191 Greene DISPLAY AND SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR FLOWERS Filed:

Inventor: Oliver W. Greene, III, 101 Glen Rock Road, West Kingston, RI. 02892 Feb. 9, 1972 U.S. Cl. ..206/45.3l, 47/3411, 206/46 PL Appl. No.: 224,844

Int. Cl ..B65d 5/44, B65d 25/54 Field of Search ..206/45.34, 45.31

206/46 PL, DIG. 8, 45.26, 45.25, 45.24;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney-Herbert B. Barlow et al.

[ 57] ABSTRACT A display and shipping container for flowers having a body integrally formed of a relatively rigid sheet material. The top wall, bottom wall, and side walls are hingedly attached to the rear wall which is shaped in the form of an inverted trapezoid. The front wall is hingedly connected to the front edge of said bottom wall and is also in the shape of an inverted trapezoid but one whose height is substantially less than that of said rear wall to thereby form an open window in the front of said container. Spaced upwardly from the bottom of said rear wall, a flap is formed by an incision therein completely through the thickness of the rear wall with the flap being hinged at its bottom to allow it to be folded rearwardly to function as a stand or brace. The flap also provides access means for watering flowers already packaged in said container and additionally the flap may be folded forwardly to aid in fixedly positioning said flowers within said container.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented May 22, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet FIG? DISPLAY AND SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR FLOWERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a special package for use in displaying and for shipping cut flowers. One of the trouble spots in the florist industry has been the need for a container which is both structurally strong enough to withstand the normal forces which would crush flowers therein and also to provide one whose structure is economical to produce. Attempts to solve these problems have not been entirely successful in that while many containers have been designed of a unitary cardboard configuration, they have lacked structure for facilitating the placing of the flowers within the package, they have lacked access means to tend and water flowers which might be prepackaged for a relatively long period of time prior to delivery, and they have failed to provide a container which can also perform the function of a display case. Another problem has been the unavailability of skilled help within the florist shops and the attendant inability of skilled help in properly packaging cut flowers in previously designed packages. The unavailability of a properly designed container for out flowers has prevented the prepackaging of dozens of flowers in madeup containers prior to their sale.

It is an object of this invention to provide a package which holds up well when stored and also when transported for delivery.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a package which allows cut flowers to be prepackaged well ahead of their time for sale and yet allows accessibility so that flowers may be properly cared for to maintain their freshness prior to sale and delivery.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a container both aesthetically pleasing and one which provides a sturdy display case.

It is further an object of this invention to provide a collapsible knockdown package which is both simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which is easily assembled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Applicants container is formed from a blank of relatively rigid sheet material. In its preferred form this materialwould be a double faced corrugated paperboard, however, such materials as a foldable stiff plastic sheet could also be used. The blank is scored along its predetermined hinged areas and has incisions completely through the thickness of the rear wall panel to provide the flap and tab members therein. In its folded and assembled form the package presents a display case with pleasing appearance. This display case may be filled with cut flowers long prior to the time of their sale. Access may be had to said flowers for watering purposes through the flap on the rear wall panel. Also the package may be placed in refrigeration to maintain the flowers in a fresh condition and may be presented for viewing immediately to a prospective customer. The flap at the rear of the package can also be folded down with its orientation at an angle to the rear wall such that it provides a stand or brace member for displaying the package. The flap on the rear wall panel also may be folded inwardly wherein it is doubled over to function as supporting structure or a wedge for maintaining the stems of the flowers in their proper orientation. The tab also located near the top of the rear wall panel can also be used for the purpose of hanging the display package from a hook. The assembled package by virtue of its substantially rigid structure also provides a container that may withstand the rigors of normal delivery with its more often than not ungentle handling.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of the display and shipping container illustrating how it would appear with precut flowers therein;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the display and shipping container;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the display and shipping container;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the display and shipping container;

FIG. 5 is a partial side view of the bottom of the display and shipping container in section;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the blank which is folded into the display and shipping container;

FIG. 7 is a partial front view of the display and shipping container in cross section and illustrating how the stems of longer cut flowers may be inserted through apertures in the bottom wall; and

FIG. 8 is a partial side view of the bottom of the display and shipping container in section and illustrating the manner in which the rear wall flap is positioned for bracing or holding the stems of flowers in their proper orientation at the bottom of the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings the display and shipping container is generally designated numeral 14 as seen in FIG. 1. It has been formed from the blank illustrated in FIG. 6. The rear wall 16 constitutes the body of the frame and is formed in the shape of a trapezoid having its longer parallel edge at its top. Top wall 18 is hingedly attached to the top parallel edge of the rear wall panel. It is likewise in the shape of a trapezoid with its top edge being the longer of the two parallel edges. Hinged to the bottom parallel edge of the rear wall panel is the trapezoidal shaped bottom wall 20 which in turn has a trapezoidal shaped front wall hingedly attached to its rear bottom parallel edge. Side wall panels 24 are hingedly attached to the lateral edges of the rear wall panel. In forming the container, the side walls are folded upwardly to a position at right angles to the rear wall panel and the top side wall flaps 25 and 26 are folded inwardly. Next top wall 18 is folded upwardly until it abuts the side walls and said flaps and said top wall are secured in position by means of staples, glue or the like. Bottom wall 20 is then folded upwardly at a right angle to the rear wall member and front wall 22 hingedly attached at its lower parallel edge is folded into abutting relationship with the top edges of the side wall members and flaps 23 are folded downwardly into engagement with said side walls and firmly secured thereto in same the s-me manner as the other flaps and the top wall were secured to each other. The package is not ready to be used as a display and shipping container. Once cut flowers have been inserted into the container, the top flap 19 is bent over and a transparent sheet or wrapper is placed over the window formed in the front of the container with the edges of the transparent material, preferably Cellophane or a similar ma terial, is then heat sealed along its outer edges such as indicated by numeral 29 in FIG. 2.

The flowers which have been cut and placed within the display and shipping container normally have their tips inserted into a mass of water containing material 40 in a small pot (see FIG. 8). The water containing material is normally a highly absorbent foam made from phenol-formaldehyde resin, a urea-formaldehyde resin, or some other type of highly absorptive material which is penetratable by the stems of flowers, but has sufficient strength to support the cut flowers and also supply the requisite moisture to keep them fresh. This material is capable of absorbing and containing a large quantity of water. Other plastic materials are also adaptable with urea-formaldehyde foam being the most commonly used. These materials are characterized by a cellular structure which affords an excellent medium for absorbing and retaining water.

Referring again to FIG. 6, a flap 30 is formed in the rear wall panel 16 by an incision therein completely through the thickness of said rear wall. The flap has a top edge with side edges extending downwardly from its opposite ends and is hinged at its bottom so that it may be folded forwardly or rearwardly depending upon which function it is performing. As seen in FIGS. 2 through 5, the flap has been folded rearwardly and is functioning as a brace or stand to aid in supporting the display and shipping container in a vertical position. FIG. 8 illustrates the flap doubled over and folded inwardly to function as a positioning device for holding the material 40 with the stems of cut flowers firmly at the bottom of the container. The aperture 32 in the flap forms a recess about which the stems may be passed.

Also formed in the rear wall panel 16 is a tab 35 formed near the top portion of the rear wall panel. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate how the tab can be used for hanging the display and shipping container.

Since in many cases the cut flowers vary greatly in dimension applicants display and shipping container has been designed to give it maximum adaptability. Referring to FIG. 7 it is seen how flowers having abnormally long stems, such as gladiolas, can also be attractively arranged within said container by making use of the apertures 38 formed in the bottom wall which allows for 4 the stems tobe of the longer flowers to be inserted therethrough.

I claim:

1. A display and shipping container for flowers comprising a body integrally formed of a relatively rigid sheet material and having a front wall panel, a rear wall panel, top and bottom wall panels, and a plurality of side wall panels, said rear wall being in the shape of a trapezoid with the dimension of its top parallel edge being greater than its bottom parallel edge, hinged to said top parallel edge is said top wall panel, hinged to the lateral edges of said rear wall are said side wall panels, hinged to the bottom parallel edge of said rear wall is said bottom wall, hinged to the front edge of said bottom wall is said front wall, said front wall is in the shape of a trapezoid having its shorter parallel edge at its bottom, the height of the trapezoid forming the front wall panel being substantially less than the trapezoid forming the rear wall panel whereby a window is formed in the front of said container, spaced upwardly from the bottom parallel edge and on said rear wall a flap is formed by an incision therein completely through the thickness of said rear wall, the flap has a top edge with side edges extending downwardly from its opposite ends and is hinged at its bottom so that it may be folded forwardly or rearwardly.

2. A display and shipping container as recited in claim 1 wherein said flap is shaped substantially in the form of a trapezoid whose bottom parallel edge is shorter than said top edge.

3. A display and shipping container as recited in claim 1 wherein said bottom wall has apertures formed along both its lateral edges through which the stems of flowers longer than the height of said box may be passed in packaging them.

4. A display and shipping container as recited in claim 1 further comprising a tab in the upper area of said rear wall that hinges out and upwardly to provide a means for hanging said container on a hook.

S. A display and shipping container as recited in claim 1 wherein an aperture is formed in a central portion of the flap. 

1. A display and shipping container for flowers comprising a body integrally formed of a relatively rigid sheet material and having a front wall panel, a rear wall panel, top and bottom wall panels, and a plurality of side wall panels, said rear wall being in the shape of a trapezoid with the dimension of its top parallel edge being greater than its bottom parallel edge, hinged to said top parallel edge is said top wall panel, hinged to the lateral edges of said rear wall are said side wall panels, hinged to the bottom parallel edge of said rear wall is said bottom wall, hinged to the front edge of said bottom wall is said front wall, said front wall is in the shape of a trapezoid having its shorter parallel edge at its bottom, the height of the trapezoid forming the front wall panel being substantially less than the trapezoid forming the rear wall panel whereby a window is formed in the front of said container, spaced upwardly from the bottom parallel edge and on said rear wall a flap is formed by an incision therein completely through the thickness of said rear wall, the flap has a top edge with side edges extending downwardly from its opposite ends and is hinged at its bottom so that it may be folded forwardly or rearwardly.
 2. A display and shipping container as recited in claim 1 wherein said flap is shaped substantially in the form of a trapezoid whose bottom parallel edge is shorter than said top edge.
 3. A display and shipping container as recited in claim 1 wherein said bottom wall has apertures formed along both its lateral edges through which the stems of flowers longer than the height of said box may be passed in packaging them.
 4. A display and shipping container as recited in claim 1 further comprising a tab in the upper area of said rear wall that hinges out and upwardly to provide a means for hanging said container on a hook.
 5. A display and shipping container as recited in claim 1 wherein an aperture is formed in a central portion of the flap. 